Compasses come in an assortment of styles. Become familiar with the compass that you will be using.

The compass tip marks the center of the circle. The distance the compass is open is the radius of the circle.

All points on the circle are the same distance from the circle's center.

Constructing a Circle

Draw a point near the center of a piece of paper. Label the point A. This point will be the center of a circle.

Place several pieces of paper under your paper to allow the compass point to remain stable.

Place the pointed end of the compass on A and turn the compass to draw a circle.

Hold the compass gently and allow the wrist to remain flexible.

If you have difficulty with your wrist drawing circles, try rotating the paper under the compass.

The Straightedge
A straightedge is generally a clear plastic tool devoid of markings. It is used to  to draw the parts of the circle.